Hermaphrodite electrical connector



Nov. 25, 1969 J, R, FILSON 3,480,903

HERMAPHRODITE ELECTRI CAL CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 22, 1967 //VV/V7'0, JOHN RICHARD F! LSON A Tram/5x United States Patent 3,480,903 HERMAPHRODITE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR John Richard Filson, 95 N. Lakeside Drive, Medford, NJ. 08055 Filed Nov. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 685,186 Int. Cl. H01r 25/00; F16b 7/00 US. Cl. 339-47 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE SUMMARY It is an important object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector of the type described which is simpler in structure than prior-art connectors, positive in resisting pull forces to prevent inadvertent separation, wherein connection and disconnection is quickly and easily achieved by simple and quick manual operation, and which is effectively foolproof, both in use, and in the act of being connected.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which is adapted for rapid, automatic manufacture by relatively simple forming operations, and requires a minimum of material to effect substantial savings in cost while achieving high quality in use.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a connector constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side or edge view taken from the lefthand side of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top or end view taken from the top of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view showing a blank from which the connector of FIGURES 1-3 is formed.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view showing an initial step in joining a pair of connectors of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 5 showing an intermediate stage in the connection procedure.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view showing a pair of fully connected connectors.

FIGURE 8 is an edge or side view of the connectors of FIGURE 7, as taken from the top.

FIGURE 9 is an edge or side view of the connectors of FIGURE 7 taken from the bottom.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURE 4 thereof, a blank is there generally designated 20, and includes an elongate strip or plate 21, say of copper or other suitably conductive sheet material. The strip or plate 21 is bounded at its opposite ends by generally parallel edges 22 and 23. Extending longitudinally inwardly from opposite ends of the end edge 22, in substantial parallelism with each other and normal to the latter end edge are a pair of side edge portions 24 and 25. At the longitudinally inner ends of edge portions 24 and 25 are respective rounded cutouts or notches 26 and 27. Longitudinally inward of the notches 26 and 27 are generally rectangular laterally oppositely out-standing tabs 28 and 29. A generally rectangular plate portion 30 extends longitudinally of the plate 21 from the tabs 28 and 29, being defined between generally parallel longitudinally extending side edges 31 and 32. A notch or slot 33 extends laterally inward from the side edge 32, being mounted on one side adjacent to the tab or extension 29 by a transverse edge 24 generally normal to the side edge 32, and being bounded on its other side by a convexly arcuate edge 35 merging smoothly with edge 32.

Adjacent to the end edge 23 the plate 21 is provided With an end portion 38 bounded between. the end edge and side edges 31 and 32. Formed in the end portion 38 is a laterally inwardly extending notch or cutout 39, of generally rectangular configuration, extending inwardly from the side edge 31. The cutouts or slots 33 and 39 are thus spaced longitudinally of the plate 21, extending laterally inward from opposite side edges thereof, and terminate generally along the longitudinal centerline of the plate portion 30.

From the blank 20 is formed a connector, generally designated 40, as shown in FIGURES l-3. The end portion of plate or strip 21 bounded within end edge 22 and side edges 24 and 25, which may be designated 41, is curled or bent to define an open-ended sleeve extending longitudinally of the plate 21, the sleeve being designated 41 in FIGURES 1-3.

The plate end portion 38 is folded or bent to extend transversely of the plate portion 30, and thereby defines a flange, designated 38 in FIGURES 1-3, projecting generally normal from the plane of the plate portion 30, and laterally coextensive therewith. Further, as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the cutout, notch or slot 39 is located, after formation of the flange 38, to lie substantially on one1 side of plate portion 30, for a purpose appearing present y.

In addition, at spaced intervals along the edge 31 of plate portion 30, there are formed detents 42 and 43, as by indenting or upsetting marginal portions of the plate material. The detents 42 and 43 are upset in opposite directions, so as to be indented from opposite surfaces of the plate portion 30. Adjacent to the opposite longitudinal edge 32 of plate portion 30 is an additional detent 44, also formed by indenting or upsetting an edge portion of the plate material. The detent 44 is located approximately midway between the detents 42 and 43 along the longitudinal centerline of the connector.

In use, the tubular portion or sleeve 44 is deformed about a received conductor or wire for effective securement thereto.

The joining operation of a pair of connectors 40 is shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. It will there be observed that the conenctors 40 are disposed at substantially right angles with respect to each other, the plate portion 30 of one connector being located in facing engagement with the plate portion 30 of the other connector and the flanges 38 of the respective connectors projecting in opposite directions, each beyond the plate portion of the other connector.

From the angulate relation of FIGURE 5, the connectors 40 are swung toward an aligned position, as in FIG- URE 6. It will there be apparent that the flange 38 of each connector is engaging in the plate slot 33 of the other connector, the swinging movement being facilitated by each flange riding along the adjacent curved edge 35 of the receiving slot 33. Simultaneously, the flange slots 39 are each receiving the plate portion 30 of the other connector 40. Thus, there is a mutual interfitting relationship between the flange slots 39 and plate slots 33 of the mating connectors 41.

Upon continued relative swinging movement of the conectors 40 in the direction of arrow 45, the connectors assume an aligned configuration, as shown in FIGURES 79. In this condition, each plate slot 33 fully receives the adjacent flange of the other connector, and each flange slot 39 fully receives the plate portion of the other connector.

When in the final or fully connected condition of FIG- URES 7-9, it will be apparent that the detents 44 of the mating connectors have ridden over and snapped beyond each other to effect a resilient retention of the connectors against swinging movement tending to detach the connectors. This relationship is best seen in FIGURE 8.

Also, see FIGURE 9, where it will be observed that detents 42 and 43 of the mating connectors 41 have snapped into nesting relation with each other, further tending to resist relative swinging between the connectors.

Tension forces tending to separate the connectors 40 are positively resisted by engagement of each flange 38 with the adjacent edges 35 of the receiving notch 33. Conversely, compressive forces are positively resisted by engagement of the flanges 38 With the notch edges 34.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a highly effective positive interconnection is effected between like connectors of the present invention by an extremely simple turning operation. However, release of the joint connectors 40 may be quickly and easily accomplished by mere reversal of the turning procedure, although such procedure must be deliberate as accidental turning is eflectively prevented. It will further be apparent that the instant invention fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A hermaphrodite electrical connector comprising a plate portion, a wire-coupling element extending from one end of said plate portion, a flange projecting from the other end of said plate portion, said flange being formed with a slot extending laterally inwardly from one side and terminating short of the other side, said slot being of sufficient width to receive a plate portion of a mating connector in facing relation with said first-mentioned plate portion, and said plate portion being formed with a slot extending laterally inwardly from the other side and terminating short of said one side, to receive a flange of a mating connector in said plate slot, said flange and plate slots terminating approximately midway between the sides of said plate portion for complementary interfitting reception with the plate and flange slots of a like connector.

2. A hermaphrodite electrical connector according to cliam 1, in combination with detent means on said plate portion for holding engagement with detent means of a mating plate portion.

3. A hermaphrodite electrical connector according to claim 2, said detent means comprising a formation formed in said plate portion for interfitting relation with a formation of a mating plate portion.

4. A hermaphrodite electrical connector according to claim 2, said detent means comprising a raised formation on said plate portion adapted to ride over and snap beyond a raised formation on a mating plate portion.

5. A hermaphrodite electrical connector according to claim 1, said plate slot having one side adjacent to said flange convexly arcuate to facilitate entry of the flange of a like connector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,522,672 9/ 1950 Graham 339-47 X 2,615,736 10/1952 Bergan et a1. 33947 2,744,244 5/ 1956 Schumacher et al 339-47 3,316,522 4/ 1967 Demler 339-47 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 287--64 

